Pool Reports of February 15, 2023

In-town pool report #1 - Lunch lid until 1pm

Good morning from Washington, D.C. I'll be your print pooler today.

The president is headed to Lanham, Maryland, later to deliver remarks on his plan to reduce the deficit. The White House has called a lunch lid until 1 p.m. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Here's a look at today's schedule.

EST

10:15 AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Closed Press
Oval Office

10:30 AM In-Town Pool Call Time

1:25 PM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool (Gather 1:10 PM – Palm Room Doors)

2:30 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on the progress we are making building an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, and about his vision to grow the economy, lower costs, and reward work, not wealth – while reducing the deficit
IBEW Local 26, Lanham, Maryland
Pooled for TV and Pre-Credentialed Media

3:40 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool

In-town pool report #2 - Awaiting departure

Pool has loaded into the vans on the South Lawn driveway as we wait for POTUS for the half-hour ride to the IBEW Local Union 26 in Lanham, Maryland.

The president's remarks (scheduled for 2:30 pm ET) will be livestreamed here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

One clarification on the schedule: there is no press briefing scheduled for today.

In-town pool report #3 - Rolling

POTUS stepped out of the Oval Office at 1:47 pm ET. He climbed into the Beast a minute later and the motorcade is now rolling at 1:49 pm ET.

Per WH: Traveling with the President via motorcade en route International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26, Lanham, Maryland:
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Ryan Harper, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff
Carla Frank, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Herbie Ziskend, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Communications

In-town pool report #4 - IBEW arrival

The motorcade arrived at 2:11pm ET after an uneventful ride.

Pool was escorted inside the IBEW Local Union 26 to a hall at the end of the building. The president's podium is set against a backdrop of stairs lined with local union members holding handmade signs that read "Let's go Joe!" and "IBEW + Biden – Perfect Union." Five American flags and three bunting flags were also displayed along the stairs. The crowd cheered as Gov. Wes Moore entered the hall.

The President is greeting with Local IBEW 26 members and participating in a photo line, per WH.

Participating in a photoline with the President at IBEW Local 26:
Governor of Maryland Wes Moore
Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
Rep. Glenn Ivey (MD-04)
Anne Healey, Maryland Delegate (District 22)
Kenneth Cooper, International President, IBEW
Brandon Travis Brown, Culpeper Town Councilman and IBEW Local 26 Apprentice

We're awaiting the remarks, which again will be livestreamed here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

In-town pool report #5 - Two-minute warning

Two minutes until POTUS speaks.

B. Travis Brown is speaking now.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

Per WH:

In attendance for the President's remarks on his plan to reduce the deficit while investing in America, bringing down costs for families, and protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare:

Members of the local IBEW, other labor leaders, community members, and elected officials

Speaking Program:
Brandon Travis Brown, Culpeper Town Councilman and IBEW Local 26 Apprentice
The President

In-town pool report #6 - POTUS remarks

POTUS took the stage at 2:33 pm ET and began speaking after briefly turning to look at all the poster signs behind him.

I won't be sending quotes but will send any notable color from the room.

In-town pool report #7 - POTUS finishes remarks

POTUS finished speaking at 3:07 pm ET for a total of 34 minutes. He stepped off the stage and into the crowd to work the rope line for several minutes.

The crowd erupted into cheers several times throughout his speech as he touched on his economic plan, funding high-speed internet and electric vehicle charging stations through the bipartisan infrastructure law, bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

He repeated his promise to veto any legislation that cuts Social Security and Medicare. "That's the Republican dream. I'm their nightmare," he said.

Pool is moving back to the vans.

In-town pool report #8 - Rolling for the WH

The motorcade is rolling at 3:29pm ET.

Pool did not see POTUS join the motorcade before we moved.

In-town pool report #9 - WH arrival/lid

The motorcade arrived back at the White House at 3:50pm ET.

The Beast stopped in front of the residence, but pool did not see POTUS exit.

We have a lid. Have a wonderful afternoon!